Ventilator



Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,108

' O w. DENNIS VENTILATOR Filed Dec. '13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR.

\ ATTORNEY.

Nov. 27, 1928. 1,693,108

o. w. DENNIS Y VENTILATOR Filed Dec- 13, 1927 z sheets-sum 2 A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES OLIVE w. DENNIS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

VENTILATOR.

Application filed December 13, 1927. Serial No. 239,777.

\Vhile my improved ventilator may be used in various places, it is primarily designed to be used in connection with railroad cars.

Pullman cars, chair and sleeper and dining cars are equipped with screens for the purpose of keeping out cinders and the like, and to some extent they function as ventilators but they, as it is well known, do not protect the passengers from drafts, and many possengers brefer to have the windows closed rather than sit in a draft.

Day coaches are not provided with screens or any type of ventilator in present railroad practice.

It is not practical to provide cars with ventilators and screens which can be readily removed by the passenger because they would become lost and damaged, besides which it is practically impossible to prevent drafts through the joints around the perimeter of the ventilator. It is objectionable to build a ventilator into the window sash because it frequently interferes with the passengers vision, besides which it interferes with the ready raising and lowering of the sash, the ventilator adding weight to the sash. Ventilators for cars which are placed between the bottom of the sash and the window sill must be removed when the window is raised, and this is objectionable because of the liability of loss and damage to the ventilator, to say nothing of the scarring of the car 1n the insertion and removal of the ventilator.

The object of my invention is to provide a ventilator for all types of cars, free from the known objections of Ventilators now in use.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ventilator which is rigidly attached to, or built into the car body thereby eliminating all possibility of leaky joints, and the entrance of cinders, etc.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ventilator without cumberson attachments to the window frame or sash to interfere with the passengers view through the window.

Another object of my invention is to provide a car ventilator which can be used with double sash windows without requiring the opening of the inner sash.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ventilator for cars which can be readily cleaned Without detaching it from the car, and without tampering with the parts of the ventilator visible from the inside of the car, thereby eliminating the liability of mar-ring the original smooth finish of the car interior.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ventilator for cars which is entirely under the control of the passenger, and which can be operated with a very slight physical exertion; and with these and other objects in view, my invention consists of the parts and combination of parts as will behereinafter pointed out.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved ventilator.

Figure 2 is a rear view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 1, parts being in section.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through my ventilator and associated parts.

While I have illustrated my invention in connection withthe standard steel car, it will, of course, be understood that it can be used with equal efficiency with any other type of car.

The reference numeral 1 designates the outer face plate of the car wall, the inner face plate being designated by the numeral 2. In this outer face plate there is a housing 3 having top, bottom and end walls, said housing having flanges 4, 5, 6 and 7, the flange 6 being provided with screw holes 8. At the top the housing has a depending flange 8 spaced in front of the flange 7' thereby forming a groove 9 between said flanges 7 and 8. A detachable screen frame 10 is secured in the housing by sliding its upper edge into the groove 9 and fastening it in that position by means of the screws 11. This frame is of the grid type and its inner face is cov ered with a very fine mesh wire cloth 12 secured thereto in any suitable manner. This screen 12 closes the ventilator against cinders and the like, but permits air to freely enter the housing. By simply removing the screws 11 the Screen can be removed for cleaning, and at the same time permit of cleaning of the interior of the housing.

A pull plate or lid 13 is secured to and flush with the inner face plate of the housing or the car wall by means of a hinge 14, and is provided with a countersunk pull 15, said plate or lid being provided at each end with an in wardly extending flange or wings 16, each having an arcuate shaped top edge'provided with an inwardly extending flange 17 to which flanges I secure in any desired manner a perforated flat plate 18 formed on an arc complemental with the arc of the top edges of the plates 16. This perforated plate 18 is provided at its outer edge with an upstanding flange 19 to be hereinafter referred to.

WVithin the housing I secure a grooved strip 20, which is located on the end walls and the top wall of the housing, and positioned back from the plane of the inner face of the inner car wall plate 2. The end and top edge portions of the pull plate or lid 13 are inturned to form a flange 21 which is adapted to enter the groove of the strip 21, thereby forming an interlocked joint between the car wall plate 2 and the pull plate. To further seal this joint, I preferably pack it with a suitable material 22, such as sponge rubber. This packing not only serves to seal the joint, but also functions as a cushion to deaden, if not eliminate, the noise incident to the closing of the ventilator lid; without a packing metal would contact metal.

From the above it will be seen that the pull plate or lid 13 and its flanges 16 constitute a frame adapted to swing on .its hinge 1 which frame carries the perforated plate 18 which constitutes the top of the frame.

A plate 23 is secured to the bottom wall 6 of the housing and is provided with spaced lugs 24 connected by a pin 25 on which are j ournalled two arms 26 between the outer ends .of which a roller 27 is journalled. These arms'are connected intermediate their ends by a bridge 28. Aspring 29 is coiled around the pin 25 with one end anchored on the plate 23, while its one end is anchored on the bridge 28 of the arms 26, whereby the tendency of the spring is to swing the arms toward the pull plate 13. On the inner face of the pull plate 13 I secure a plate 28 which is provided with an integral forwardly extending cam like protuberance 28, which is adapted to engage the roller 27 and cooperate therewith to hold the ventilator frame firmly in open or closed position, as will be readily understood from the drawings.

To open the ventilator it is only necessary to swing the frame inward of the car whereupon air is free to pass through the screen into the housing and thence into the car through theperforated plate. The lid and the flanges 16 throw the currents of air upward, avoiding any direct strong drafts upon the arm or body of the passenger occupying the seat adjacent the ventilator, and entirely eliminating strong drafts on the occupant of the seat behind.

There are no projecting parts in the car of the ventilator when closed and even when it is open it occupies so little space that it does not interfere with the passengers com- .fort in resting his arm on the window sill.

There is no difficulty whatever in having windows either open or shut with my ventilator, and the ventilator works as e'liicientlyin summer as in winter. If a storm necessitates the closing of the car windows, ventilation .can still be obtained through my improved ventilater which will not admit the entrance. of rain.

The perforated plate 13 prevents persons from cramming trash into the ventilator and interfering with the efficiency of the ventilator.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a car ventilator, the combination with a housing having top, bottom and end walls,

of a movable lid adapted to close one side of the housing, va screen toclose the other side of the housing, wings extending inwardly from the ends of the lid and constituting with the lid a chute to direct air currents .npwardly, a perforated cover overlying the lid and wings, a cam on the inner side ,of the lid, an arm in the housing ,coacting with said cam to lock the lid in both open and closed posit-ions, and means holding .said arm constantly .co operative relation with saidcam.

2. In a yentilator for cars, the combination with a housing having top, bottom and ,end walls, a screen closing one s de of the housing,

and a hinged lid closing the other side .of the housing, wings extending inwardly from the ends of said lid, a perforated plate mounted on the top of said wings, a stopon said plate to limit the outward movement ,of the lid, a cam .carried by said lid, a spring controlled arm pivotally mounted within the housing, and a roller carried by said arms and in constant engagement with said cam .to lock the lid in an adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

OLIVE DENNIS, 

